# Is "To the Bright and Shining Sun" by James Lee Burke a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of To the Bright and Shining Sun by James Lee Burke (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1970) is identified by: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1970. US Scribner's is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Charles Scribner's Sons, 1970
- Scribner's used the capital letter 'A' on the copyright page as the first-printing indicator in this era; original priced dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Charles Scribner's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | James Lee Burke |
| Publisher | Charles Scribner's Sons |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Charles Scribner's Sons, 1970 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Charles Scribner's Sons, 1970. Scribner's used the capital letter 'A' on the copyright page as the first-printing indicator in this era; original priced dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US Scribner's is the true first. Burke's second novel; scarce.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition affecting the true first; the Scribner's 'A' is the key first-printing point.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *To the Bright and Shining Sun* by James Lee Burke a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/to-the-bright-and-shining-sun
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.